This invention relates to collapsible sawhorses, barricades, or the like of the type including an elongated beam and at least one pair of legs, one leg supported on either side of the beam. More particularly, the invention relates to a bracket assembly for pivotally securing said legs to such a beam such that they may be moved between a folded position and a strong, secure, and stable upright position.
A dominant problem in the use of sawhorses, barricades for highway construction, or the like is the amount of space required to store and transport such sawhorses and barricades when not in use. Accordingly, foldable or collapsible sawhorses and barricades have become widely known. A common problem with such collapsible structures is the stability of the structure when in use. Thus, many of the prior known structures are prone to wobble or yield somewhat when a force is applied to them or a weight is supported on them.
In order to overcome the stability problem, structures have been proposed which are greatly reinforced but are therefore heavy, bulky, and expensive. Typically, such reinforced structures have included braces extending between the legs of the horse or barricade, at least in the extended position, at a position spaced below the location of the upper beam or main support between the legs. Additionally, the prior known structures because of the additional reinforcing structure included therein cannot be folded into a neat, compact package for storage or transportation. In an attempt to avoid the above problems, other prior known structures have been manufactured as a complete unit including a central beam, at least one pair of legs, and means for interconnecting the legs to the beam. The requirement of an entire unit, however, makes replacement of a single component of the unit difficult and expensive if such component becomes damaged, worn out, or the like.
The present invention overcomes all of the above problems and provides an inexpensive, reliable, and stable sawhorse or barricade which may be folded for storage or transportation and extended for use. The invention allows substitution of different central beams and leg members, is extremely rigid and durable, and yet may be folded to a compact, neat package requiring only a minimum of space for storage or transportation.